THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

r OPERATIONS FOB THE WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN.—No time should now be lost, when 'the conditions are favourable, in planting out all necessary supplies of winter cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli plants. As we may reasonably expect a season of favourable growing <weather prior to severe frosts setting -in, a good growth wilj. i-A, once commence, to encourage which the plants should be planted in well-manured land. A good sowing of turnip seed should be made at once, as this will prove the standing winter crop; the seed should be sown very thin, and thinning out resorted to as soon as the plants are large enough to handle, as overcrowding in a young state, is very detrimental to good roots. Prickly spinach should be sown for winter use, also • a good sowing made of onion seed for providing early plants for transplanting in spring. A small sowing of bath carrot and parsnip may also be made, only in sufficient quantity to yield a small supply in early spring, «& these will run to seed in September and '~ October. >As these vegetables are scarce at that season, a few drills sown now arc valuable. Celerj requiring earthing up should receive attention. This should be done when. the plants are dry, as after heavy dew or rain, if soil is placed about the wet leaves, decay is encouraged. TEe winter supply of salads should receive attention, as these may now be sown in larger quantities, at •longer intervals, than was possible during the hot weather. Runner beans of the earlier sowing, being past profitable bearing, should . foe removed, and the space prepared for other ~ crops necessary. Plant rhubarb for spring - ■','. "use. It must be remembered that during '.' this month growth will be- twice as quick «s later on, hence the necessity for losing no -time in seasonable planting and sowing. 3 FLOWER GARDEN.— The beauty of the Snixed borders is rapidly fading. Many of "'■',-. the summer annuals are now quite past their yflbest, and should be at once removed, as it " ; frequently oecurs that these have been £ allowed to cover up box edgings and many newly-planted shrubs which require full exposure to light and air to mature a proper .{growth, Zinnias, phlox Drummondii, and a ?!few others will furnish a supply of flowers a--tiittle longer yet, and will be greatly assisted if faded blooms and geed pods are cut clean, • off. In the planting out of all kinds of bulbs no delay should now occur, as the earlier this is done the bettei the display, as all the /bulb tribe require the root growth to bs continually in advance of the growth of the. foliage, and unless early planting is adopted, 4bis is not secured. This is most essential where pot culture is attempted. As the plants of pansie3 raised from the earliest sowings should" now be strong enough to plant out into the border where ihey are to . flower, planting should be done while the ■weather is dull and the soil inoist. Old! stools of desirable sorts may also now be divided and replanted. This should only apply to such a.s possess decided merit, as seedlings from any good strain give batter results and more variety than perpetuating inferior kinds, which take up as much room and require the same attention as the best kinds. ChrystantVieiimris are now rapidly advancing; into bloom, and care must be taken not to get the soil into a soddened condition by giving 100 much liquid manure. •GREENHOUSE AND FRAMES.—With decreasing sun heat much less shade and moisture should now be given. The plants Will of course, require the same careful waterings, but not so much overhead or upon the stages and floors. Admit more air to pelargoniums, which are starting to grow, Inl keep down the green fly by furmgating Sdippin« in tobacco water., decent y-struck *S 0 f zonal pelargoniums will make plants for winter flowering Keep Ss!g pnmuk, -near the. gl«r, and admit air when practicable. ~